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MALAYSIANS NAZIM, MUIZZ IN RUNNING FOR HONOURS AT AWARDS GALA

4.9 mins

07/06/18

KUALA LUMPUR, 7 June 2018: Malaysian drivers, Nazim Azman and Muizz Musyafa, are among the front-runners for the leading awards at the MERITUS Awards Gala Presented by PETRON which will take place at Studio 1, ASTRO All-Asia Broadcast Centre, here tomorrow. Also in the running are Daniel Cao of China, Kane Shepherd of Thailand and Ugo de Wilde from Belgium.

The awards gala is held to celebrate the best drivers in the recently concluded season of the FIA Formula 4 Southeast Asia Championship (F4SEA) fuelled by PETRON. The F4SEA season was held over an eight-month period with races taking place at circuits in Sepang, Thailand and the Philippines.

Rising star, Nazim, 17, will be banking on his blistering victory in the F4 SEA opening round staged as a F1 GP Support Race 2017 in October to land him some honours at the awards gala. Nazim, who also competes in Europe, is a driver with immense potential.

Rookie driver Muizz, 16, meanwhile had a great season which could see him walk away with some honours after finishing strongly in the last event (Event 5) in Sepang where he managed two podium finishes. “I’m looking forward to the awards, it’s a great night for all the drivers,” said Muizz. “It was a great 2017 season but now, I need to double my efforts for the coming season as I’ve set my sights on the top three positions. It requires a lot of hard work but I’m determined to make it happen.”

Meanwhile, Cao, 16, had an impressive season and is a clear candidate to claim the overall top honours, making him the first-ever driver from China to claim an FIA F4 championship title.

Also battling for the top honours is Shepherd, who has had a remarkable season. Shepherd, 17, has been successful in karting, winning the 2016 Thailand Rotax Max Senior Championship before making his debut in F4 SEA in 2016. The 15-year-old De Wilde, voted rookie of the year in the French F4, delivered some stunning performances and it’s no surprise that he finished among the top drivers last season.

Another contender for the awards is Alessandro Ghiretti of Morocco, who proved to be a promising talent with great potential. “I’ve managed one win and five podium finishes this past season. I’m looking forward to the Awards Gala to meet up with my friends,” said Ghiretti.

The MERITUS Awards Gala presented by PETRON, first held last year, is organised to honour and recognise the region’s young drivers of the future at the end of the FIA Formula 4 Southeast Asia Championship fuelled by Petron season.

A total of eight categories are listed in this year’s award with the Overall Champion as the top prize, Rookie Champion, Fastest Lap, Best Drive, Best Recovery, Up and Coming Talent, Best engineer and Best Mechanic.

“The young drivers put their heart and soul into what turned out to be an awesome season. Their efforts were clearly reflected in the high quality of the racing. The awards programme is a fitting finale for these drivers and we hope it will encourage them to want to achieve more and aim for the sky in their quest to be world-class racing drivers,” said Peter Thompson, F4 SEA promoter and CEO of Asian Autosport Action (AAA)

At the inaugural MERITUS Award Gala last year, Presley Martono from Indonesia was crowned the first-ever Overall Champion of the F4 SEA Championship.

THE AWARDS

Overall Champion

Rookie Champion

Fastest Lap (Sepang, Buriram, Clark Circuits)

Best Drive

Best Recovery

Up and Coming Talent

Best Engineer

Best Mechanic

F4 SEA

Formula 4 SEA is the first step for young drivers looking to reach LMP1, GT1 or F1. The Championship is designed to transition 15-19 year old karters into formula racing, giving them the foundation they need to get into GT racing or F1.

In the 2017-18 F4SEA visited Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, for a 30-race 5-event Championship.

Need to Know More?

It is really good that F4 SEA is here, as I believe it will help boost the local racing scene and provide a strong base for the growth of motorsports.

Presley Martono

2016 F4 SEA Champion

MERITUS.GP is the best around!

As far as I’am concerned, MERITUS.GP (F4 SEA engineering services provider) is the best around. I have no hesitation to recommend them if a driver wishes to take up single seater racing. They know what they do and what’s more important they are honest and take seriously on what they do.

Afiq Ikhwan

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Champion

MERITUS Provided a Fantastic Service!

For a driver aiming to get to Formula 1, MERITUS.GP is the team to be with. They have all the stepping stones in place and skills required to get to Formula 1.

Earl Bamber

24H LeMans 2017 Champion

It was Fantastic!

It was fantastic to win my first FIA Championship with MERITUS.GP in 2009. AFter my success with the team in Formula BMW I went on to win in GP2 and GP3 in Europe. Formula 4 replaces Formula BMW and for sure it is the best step after karting.

Rio Haryanto

Manor F1 Driver

A Great Success

AsiaCup by MERITUS.GP was a great success and I recommend the Formula 4 SEA by MERITUS.GP for those drivers seeking a professional career in the sport!